Ben Miraski on high school sports blog | Different strokes for Neuqua's Vechiola

January 03, 2012|By Benjamin Miraski | Chicago Tribune reporter

Neuqua Valley's boys swim team broke up the monotony of the winter break by participating in the Homewood-Flossmoor pentathlon Dec. 27.

It was a chance for senior Robert Vechiola to flex some muscles he doesn't get to use much.

Vechiola, primarily a backstroke and freestyle swimmer, also raced in the breaststroke and butterfly in the meet that requires each swimmer to race each of the four strokes and in a medley race.

"It was probably the only time he will swim those events," Neuqua Valley coach Chad Allen said.

Vechiola won the freestyle, backstroke and medley races, while finishing in the top 10 in the butterfly and breaststroke. It earned him enough points to finish third individually, and helped the Wildcats to a second-place finish behind Fenwick.

"Just seeing how much I progressed from last year to this year, it gives me great confidence," Vechiola said.

It was an especially gratifying result for Vechiola because he had been working hard on the breaststroke to improve his medley time, and his goggles broke right before he was supposed to swim the butterfly.

He also passed the mark set by Conner Jager last season. Jager swam with Vechiola on the third-place 200 medley relay last season.

"It gave me a lot of confidence based on how (Jager) swam and swam at state," Vechiola said.

Allen said the team treats the event almost like a practice because the swimmers are swimming off strokes and there is little rest between heats.

But Vechiola was a little more serious about his swim.

"I don't know what I am doing next year," he said, adding that he is still undecided about college. "I am putting all my effort and focus into every meet."

Get back up:Riley Mahoney began her first all-around meet of the year by falling.

While performing a Gienger on the uneven bars at the Homewood-Flossmoor Holiday Invite, the Prairie Ridge gymnast missed her grab. The fall left her with an 8.75 in the event.

"It is really hard to come back from that," Prairie Ridge coach Lee Bataglia said. "She is a really good gymnast, and I expect her to come back from that."

Mahoney recovered strong to finish with an all-around total of 37.20, edging Glenbard North's Amanda Quinn by 0.025 points.

The freshman helped herself with a 9.80 on the vault, the highest score of the meet.

Mahoney hopes to continue the tradition of strong gymnasts at Prairie Ridge, including two-time state all-around champion Jenny Covers.

"Jenny has been my big role model and we have been friends for a while," Mahoney said. "She has helped me these last few years. It makes me work a lot harder and set a lot more goals for myself."

Mahoney and the Wolves have the biggest test of their season Saturday when they participate in the Lake Forest Invite, a meet featuring state favorite Carmel.

Despite greater depth on the team this season, Bataglia knows the team has a long climb ahead.

"Carmel is definitely going to be the team to beat, and we are behind," he said. "We aren't at that level right now."